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THE FIX

December 11, 2020 – The Insider Fix

By December 11, 2020October 20th, 2022No Comments

Insider Fix emails have been providing thousands of my readers with three problem-solving fixes for a couple of months now and allowing them to harvest the benefits of my 1 + 1 + 1 = 10x formula. I hope by sending you this newsletter I can help shift your focus from reactive to proactive and ultimately help you grow both personally and professionally. Enjoy.

Coaching Yourself Out of a Crisis

Last week was particularly stressful. We moved the family to a hotel because the sudden snowstorm created a week-long power outage. Our office lost internet throughout the week. One of our employees had an existential crisis. One of our cases blew up and our opposing counsel was being unethical. Etc. Etc.Etc.  

Meanwhile, the playbook seemed to go out the window. It reminded me of a refrain I used to hear when we were running convoys in Iraq: “No plan survives first contact with the enemy.” Or, in the immortal words of Iron Mike: “Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.”

Then, when I had a moment of peace and clarity, a singular question bubbled up: “If I wasn’t me going through this hell week, but I was my coach, what would I say to my student right now?”  

The answer was incredibly clear so I wrote it down. Here’s what I wrote:

If I were a coach today, here’s what I’d tell you:

  1. Pause. Don’t react. Take a deep breath when you’re noticing chaos or the pounding of your heart, or whenever you think to do it, or when you’re not sure of what to do next.
  2. Stay present. You are a single-focus, single-purpose, single-tasker.
  3. Cut your talking time in half and double up on your listening time.
  4. With everything, assume that it happened exactly as it was supposed to. Practice radical acceptance. Think like a stoic. Be an essentialist
  5. Choose joy. Right now. Remember how to Solve for Happy: “Happiness is equal to or greater than your perception of the events of your life minus your expectation of how life should be.”
  6. What can you be grateful for right now?
  7. Now, what’s your goal and why is it important?
  8. And now, and only now, with the end in mind and with a solid understanding of your Why,

And then, suddenly, all was well…

Lease Renewals

Do this now.

Look at your office lease. Find the section about automatic renewals and notices to seek extensions. Calendar those dates. 

Seems simple and easy but if you’re reading this, there’s a really good chance you’re clueless about those deadlines. Most of our clients haven’t read their leases. Doing battle with your landlord or your tenant gets expensive. Your lawyers will win. You may or you may not.

All is not lost, though. Here are some tips and tricks to consider and potentially save you from that nasty situation if you’re ever in it…

Egg Boxing

This is insane. Watch this video about Egg Boxing. Your breakfast prep will never be the same again. I’m never going back. So far, my winner’s all-time record is just 3-0, but I’m hopeful. Can’t wait for my next omelet.

 

A Note…

Speaking of crises, I’m in the middle of recording a limited special series of short episodes for Best.Podcast.Ever. I’m interviewing my favorite entrepreneurs and asking them to tell me the story about their greatest existential business crisis. I’m half-way through and so far they’ve been amazing, humbling, and inspiring. You’ll definitely want to listen. Subscribe through iTunes, Stitcher, YouTube, Spotify, Google Play Music and Castbox or at the above website link so you get the episodes right when they’re released. And if you are a potential guest or know one, reach out by LinkedIn or e-mail.

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